Apparatus for pumping oil from wells



Jan. 8, 1929. B. H. LYBYER APPARATUS Fon PUMPING on. FROM WELLS' FiledJuly 1 Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

UNITED ASTATES i 1,6918, PATENT fol-Fica BENJAMIN H. LYBYEB., or Lavora,WYomNq.

APPARATUS Fon PUMPING onJ Faoin WELLS.

Applieaaon mea :my 1c, 192:5.'I serial No. 44,046.

This invention relates to an apparatus especially for pumping oil fromoil wells,

and it is Awith relation to such that the following specication isapplied.

' In oil well pumps of the character now in general use, an oil columnis pumped to the surface, carrying with it entrained gas and sandarticles, necessitating. the separating out of) the gas and sand inoperations sepi0 arate from the pumping operation. These `successivesteps are accompanied with many disadvantages, such as increased amountof apparatus, which^increase the expense involved of pumpingthev oils toa material i extent. v

One of the objects of my invention therefore is to provide an oil pumpadapted to pump oil r cally separates the oil and contained gas duringthe pumping operation, so that the oil and gas may -be taken from thewell separately, as well .as separating out theI entrained sand/andsediment particles so that they may be removed from the oil and gas.

A further object of my invention is to provide an oil well of the abovecharacter which automatically serves toseparate the oil,'gas, and sandparticles pumped from an oil well in'one operation.

A further object' of my invention is to provide an oil pump which issimple in 1 manufacture and operation, which requires small degreev ofrepair and adjustment, and which is economical in operation.'

A further object is to provide a simple and durable' construction whichmay be operated continuously without change or adjustment forarelativ'ely long time,

The invention. accordin ly consists in the features of construction, giecombinationkof parts, and in the unique relation of the various membersand the relative proportioning and dispositioning thereof, all as moreclearly outlined herein. A

To enable others skilled in the art to'fully comprehend the' underlyingfeatures thereof, in order that they may embody the same by numerousmodifications in structure and relationL contemplated by this,invention, drawings depicting-a preferredform ofthe invention have beenannexed as part of this disclosure, and.in.such drawingsV like char-.llacters of reference/mdicate corresponding'f parts throughout all thelviews, of .which-.-

' Figure 1 is a longitudinal"sectionof` the.

oil well casing and ,contained parts. V/

om an oil well which automati Figure 2 is a section along' lines 2,-2 ofFigure 1.

. .Figure 3 is a section along Figure 1. i

Referring now to the drawings and more'A part1cu1arly to Figure 1, thenumeral character 10 designates an outer casing lcommon in` oil well`pump construction.' Disposedv within the casing is a pumptube 11 having65 apertures 12 at the lower portion thereof, adapted to receive the oilenteringthelower portion of the casing 10 from the oil bearing strata.The tubing 11 is screw-threadedto a collar 13 serving as a couplingwhich unites N the tube 11 and an upper continuation 14 thereof andforming therewith a continued lines 3-3 of An outer tube or pipe 15surrounds tubto the coupling collar 13. It is seen that an annularchamber, closed atits bottom, is formed between the tubing 14 and 15 forthe purpose hereinafter described. The tubing 14' and 15 are coupled atthe upper portion 80 thereof by a collar 16, which also serves'tounitthe pipe 14 with a swedge nipple 17. Openings-18 are provided in thecoupling 16 and form communicating means opening into the. 'annularchamber between tubingM $5 and 15.

Packing elements 20 and 21 are provided, in the lnature of a swabrubber, which are connected to the collars 13 andv 16 by a 'steel disc22 pressedV into a cone-shape, while' eo supporting wires 24,` connectthe outer rim of the paers 2o and 21 with the tubing 11 and nipple 17,respectively. It is pointed out that the packing members are positionedin reverse relation with respect to one anes other and act as packingmembers between the tubingl and the outer casing 10. The wires 24 whichlconnect the outer rim of the rubbers to the surrounded tubing serve torevent the packing rubbers from foldin m0 ackwardly on themselves andalso to hold them' in their proper position while lowering the mechanisminto place inthe well, casing. Further, the packing elements serve tohold the pressure within the 'casing `and prevent 105 any .oil fromyesca ingexcept thru the perforated pi e 11, w ile the top rubberpacking :"21'hol'ds t e oil uponreturn thereof, as will tacle. Y Theswedge nipple 17 is enlarged. et its lus upper portion and isscrew-threaded into a collar 25,`as shown inFigure 2. There is alsothreaded into the collar 25 a blind bushing 26 having drilled aboutI itsouter portion the apertures 27 which permit the oil' column with itscontained gas and sediment content to pass from tubing 14. A tubing 28,forming a working barrel as, hereinafter deseribed, anda continuation oftubing 14, is joined to the blind bushing 26 whichserves to close thebottom opening thereof, and is surrounded by tubing 30 lscrew-- threadedto the collar 25. Outlets 31 are providedin the tube 30 at the upperportion thereofSand the oil 'column with its gas and sediment contentpassing up between the tubes 28 Vand 30 tlows thru the outlets 31 .wherethe direction of flov tlereof is deflected.-y 'At this point, the gasseparates from the oil and sediment carried thereby, and escapesupwardly between the outlet pipe and casing 10, while the doil with ,the

*entrained sediment settles back into the chamber above the packingmember 21. The sand and sediment carried by the oil then settles afterpassing thru the apertures 18 in collar 16 into the sediment chamber be-,tween tubes A14 and 15.

The oil is then pumped from' the chambe above the packing element 21thru openings. 32 in the tubes 28and 30 into the working barrel of thepump, or, as hereinbefore described, thepipe 28. The -oil column thenpasses thru standin valve 33 in the work mg barrel28, whic is of theusual type, and is advanced further into the working barrel thru atraveling valve 34 arrangedin a iston 35 which is operated by any suitabe means to" reciprocate the'piston rod 36. The tubing 28 and 30 arecoupled at the top thereof by means of a bushing 37 screwthreadedV intoa collar 38. A swedgenpple Q 40 is likewise screw-threaded to thecollar. 38 and is secured at its other end to a discharge pipe 41 bymeans of a collar 42, forming therewith a solid continued body.

The operation of the deviceis as follows: Upon reciprocat'ion of thepump `piston 35, an oil column withaits contained fgas andL sedimentparticles is drawn into tube 11`` thru apertures 12, is raised inthetube 14,

and is dischar ed thrua" -rture 2'(V in the blind bushing 6. The 011column with its contained gas and sediment particles then passesupwardly between tubes 28 and 30 and is discharged therefrom. anddeflected outwardly thru the discharge apertures 31,

`the as at this point being free to separate itsel from the oil andcontained sediment, and escaping upwardly between the discharge p1 41and the casing 10. The oil and contained sediment particles thendownwardly between the casing 10 an tubing 30 into the relatively largechamber above the packing element 21. Sand andsediment particles settlethru apertures 18 of the collar 16 into the annular receptacle providedtherefor formed between the tubes 14 `and 15, and collar 13. The oil inits relatively pure state is then pumped thru openings 32 into theworking barrel 28, due to the suction pressure exerted thereon uponoperation of `thepump, from whence it'- passesthru check valves 33 and'34, and is finally raised thru the discharge pipei41` and takentherefrom into any suitable container or receptacle (notshown).

From the above it is evident that the pump, as described, is so arran edthat it' will continuouslyl pump the oil om an oil well andsimultaneously cause theentrained y gas carried by the oil to escapefrom the main oil column thru a pipe, for separate removal,

as well as providing a receptacle into which i the sandand sedimentcontained in the oil column is filtered therefrom and settles therein,from which it may be separately removed, when necessary. or whendesired.

It is further obvious that the above de-` scribed arrangement is suchthat all of the parts will operate automatically to attain.-

the above set forth objects, and they lare further so simply arran ed asto eliminate, as much as possible, comp' ication and ex in repair, aswell as requiring the minimum amount of adjustment.

It is further IISG- pointed out that due to all v .of thel parts belngarranged in a substantially solid body throughout, a struct-ure isprovided which has few weak parts and, conversely, has a high degree ofrigidity-:and strength. Furthermore, inasmuch as the device as describedis construced o* standard pipes and fittings, thecost of installationand repair is` reduced to the lowestpossible minimum.

In view of the above, it will'be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other 'advantageous results attained. As manychanges could be made in carrying out the above construction, withoutdeparting r it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription-#or shown in the accompanying ldrawings shall be interpretedbarrel from a-'le'vel below the oil discharge from said tubing.

7 2.In an vapparatus o-fthe character described, in combination; a wellcasing, a

about Vthe working barrel therein, tubin working barrel, means adap 'toIlowa from the scope ofthe invention,`

meats@ column of oil with its entrained gas and sand particles upwardlyin said tubing, and to change the direction of How of the column of oilupon discharge from the' tubing, whereby the gases are permitted toescape from the oil, means to further change the direction of flow ofthe il whereby the sedithe entrainedV sand particles from the oildelivered to the working barrel.

lL1. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a wellcasing, tubing within said casing, a working barrel,

lsaid tubing being ,positionedy about said working barrel and havingdischarge apertures in the upper portion thereol", means adapted to fiowa column .of oil upwardly within said tubing, and to discharge the oilthrulsaid dischargel apertures7 said means acting to deflect the oilupon discharge from said tubing thereby to permit .the gases containedin the oil to escape, and means to raise the oil when freed of thecontained gases. Iinto said working barrel from .a point below thedischarge of' the Voil from `said tubing.

5. Inv an apparatusI of the character described, in combination, avwellcasing, a tubing within said casing, tubing surrounding said firstmentioned tube, and forming therewith a chamber closed at` its lowerend, a working barrel, tubin in communication with said first mentionetube and positioned about said working barrel, means adapted to flow acolumn o oil ith its contained 'gas and sediment content iipwardly insaid rst mentioned tubing about the working barrel, and to dischargethe" oil therefrom, the flow of the oil upon discharge thereofu fromsaid first mentioned tubing being deflected upon said discharge, therebyto permit the gases to escape'fromthe oil and the oil and its containedsediment to settle vin said chamber, means to raise the oil freed of itsgas and sediment content from said chamber into said working barrel,

6. In an rapparatus ofthe character described, in combination, a-wellcasing, a tubing within said casing, a tubing surrounding said firstmentioned tubing for a portion of its length and forming with said firstmentioned tubingan annuar chamber closed at its bottom portion, packingelements kpositioned between said tubing and said casing, a workingbarrel, tubing in communication with said rst mentioned tubing andpositioned about said barrel for' a portion of its length, means adaptedto flow a' column'of oil with'its contained gas and sedimentcontentupwardly in said tubing about said barrel and todischarge the oil fromsaid tubing, the flow of said column of oil and contents thereof beingdeflected upon its discharge from said tubing, thereby to permit thegases to escape from the oil and causing theV oil and contained sedi--ment to flow back intoA said chamber, lmeans to separate the sedimentfrom the oil in said chamber, and to deliver the oil freed from its `casand sediment content from said p chamber into the workin barrel.

7. ln anapparatus o scribed, in combination, a wellcasing, a tubewithinsaid casin a 'second tube vsurrounds ing said casing yor a portionof its length and forming therewith a chamber closed at its lower end, acollar uniting said tubes at.

the upper portion thereof and being' apertured to provide an openinginto said'chamber, packing elements between said tubesI and said casing,a working barrel closed at Iits lower end, said first mentioned tubebe-v ing continued and enlarged to. surround said working,.barrel for aportion of its length, and having discharge Iopenings therein near theupper portion thereof,means adapted tov iiow acolumn of oil with itscontaind gas and-sediment content upwardly in said first mentioned tubeabout said barrel`- and to discharge the samethru said dischargeopenings, thereby to change the direction of flow of said column-of oilto permit the'contained gas to escape from the vcolumn and to cause theoil and contained sediment toiow downwardly between saidcasing and irst'mentioned tubing, means to separate the sand from theioil within thechamber formed by said first and second mentioned tubings, and

means to raise `the oil above said chamber into said working barrel thruinlet openings thereto at its lower, closed portion.

Signed at Casper, Wyoming, this 30th day of April, 1925. ,y

`BENJAMIN H. LYBYER.

the character delos

